North Korea 'test fires short-range missiles' into East Sea: Reports

The firing comes amid a diplomatic breakdown following the failed summit earlier this year between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over the North's pursuit of a nuclear arsenal that can target the US mainland.

North Korea on Saturday morning fired a short-range missile in the direction of the East Sea from the east coast city of Wonsan, Yonhap News Agency reported.

New Delhi: North Korea on Saturday morning fired a short-range missile in the direction of the East Sea from the east coast city of Wonsan, Yonhap News Agency reported. The agency cited the South Korean joint chiefs of staff, adding South Korean and US officials are analyzing details surround the firing. The missiles were fired from the Hodo peninsula in the east of the country, the officials were quoted as saying. While, South Korea’s presidential spokeswoman said they were checking the report. South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff (JCS) said the unidentified missiles had been launched between 9.06 and 9.27 a.m., from a site near Wonsan, on the Hodo peninsula, located along North Korea's eastern coast, reports Efe news. "Our military has been closely watching North Korea's movements and has maintained a full-fledged posture in close coordination with the US," the JCS added. The missiles flew a distance of between 70-100 km into the East Sea, according to the JCS. The firing comes amid a diplomatic breakdown following the failed summit earlier this year between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over the North's pursuit of a nuclear arsenal that can target the US mainland. Last month Pyongyang said it had test-fired what it described as a new "tactical guided weapon", its first such test in nearly half a year, and a possible sign of its displeasure with deadlocked nuclear talks with the United States. AP reported, the test, which didn't appear to be of a banned mid- or long-range ballistic missile that could scuttle negotiations, allows Pyongyang to show its people it is pushing ahead with weapons development while also reassuring domestic military officials worried that diplomacy with Washington signals weakness. The North's leader, Kim Jong Un, observed the unspecified weapon being fired Wednesday by the Academy of Defense Science, the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency said. (With inputs from agencies)